Adventure 4 - Damnable
Sadly, I don't have much to report today. Saturday was game day for London but we had snow in dear old Minnesota. Enough snow that a few of my players decided not to brave the cold and come play.
This of course is understandable, yet it is regrettable. I fear we are loosing momentum in Fallen London, if we have a 3rd delay and the main even cannot continue with enough players we ought to reform.
I don't wish to finish my London game ahead of schedule, but I also do not want to proceed at half strength.
How disappointing would be for a few players to reach the ending after missing half the episodes.
The future has not come however, and yesterday we still did play our London game. It was another episode of filler and fluff. We checked in on Edith (Played by Hannah) and The American (Played by Peter) to continue their side stories.
The American had a brief vignette to explain his absences... After eating some of the Giant Squid eggs he came down with a mysterious illness: he was just so damnably hungry. Indeed, for a week nothing he could get a hold of could satisfy his appetite. No Drink, food, or drug could appease him and the American burned through all him money in a futile gluttonous binge.
With Edith's help the American managed to reach a doctor willing to help for free. But, this physician holds a private practice more equipped to help ladies with Hysteria than food poisons. Desperation yet necessitates action; seeking advice the American was given temporary respite hunger. He was also given a potential cure, homeopathy. Like cures like, as we all know - should the afflicted find a source of his ailment, he will find his cure.
Looking for the source led the American to Mrs. Plenty's Carnival. There he located a rubbery man who was offering some particularly addictive fast food. A few sausage rolls later his hunger was satisfied. All that was required was for him to eat himself sick in squid eggs.
Meanwhile Edith had been waiting for a scoop on the War. Berlin had declared war but no action had yet taken place. She was denied an interview with Lord Admiral Addington, but managed to reach a sub-commander for some answers. The German offensive has yet to be felt, and London is only entangled in hostilities to side with Atlantis. During the interview Edith could overhear their Tugboat captain, Allen Reiser, arguing with the Royal navy. Reiser refused to go to Atlantis and denied having a patriotic duty to assist in the war.
Later, on the tugboat, Edith, Ermanach, and The American begged Reiser to intervene. Edith still needed to get news from the front lines, and the others hated the prospect of idleness.
With all the ominous of "be careful what you wish for," Reiser zailed them off to the Demeaux Islands. Nobody knew what state the area would be in. But as the heroes arrived they found it pillaged by German forces. The French Families who lived there had existed under Nazi occupation until the order of extermination came in.
Although the heroes only wished to witness and not intervene they were discovered! Both Edith and Ermanach managed to get away safely. The American was ambushed and ultimately riddles with 24 rounds. The enemy soldiers responsible, young and undisciplined fled after the killing. They clearly were frightened by their own deed.
After the soldiers Fled Ermanach stepped into recover the body. He discovered however, that another was holding the American. A stone faced stranger attempted to explain but Ermanach could not understand what was said. After a brief miscommunication the heroes brought The American to the Tugboat. Safe on the Betsy, Reiser helped in washing the body. Ermanach asked what they needed to do to stave off doom. Reiser merely responded that it shouldn't matter, as they are already dead.
The stone faced stranger turned out to be a man made of clay. As the heroes evacuated he melted into the soil of the Demeaux Islands. This Clayman was not able to stop the Nazi Soldiers. But hopefully the heroes can avert further atrocities.
To find out what happens next, you will just have to stay tuned.
Adventure 1 — Adventure 2 — Adventure 3 — Adventure 4 — Adventure 5 — Adventure 6 — Adventure 7 —Adventure 8 — Adventure 9 — Epilogue